Aftermath
by Anastasia Kaliska Dyani Malfoy
Summary: I'm telling you, I had no idea that this ship was capable of going through a star!"


Colonel Young hurried after Rush, not letting him get too far away. He heard the group behind him shouting, saying things like "Let it go, Colonel!" and "There was no way he could have known!" The Colonel just let those words bounce off him, intent on finding out what was really going on.

He saw Rush was trying to do that run/not run thing; clearly he wanted to get the hell outta there as soon as possible. He was pushing people out of his way, not even bothering to say sorry. But when did he do so otherwise?

But Young had something up his sleeve. Just because he was injured and walked around with the shotgun as a makeshift cane didn't mean he couldn't have his bursts of almost superhuman speed. He picked up his shotgun and limped/sprinted at Rush before he could turn into one of the many rooms along the hallway and shut the door. He managed to make it into the room right before Rush got the door shut. It hummed closed behind him and he smirked as Rush began backing up.

"I swear, Colonel, whatever you might be thinking-" Rush tried to say this like he wasn't the least bit scared. But Young's whole career was partly based on reading people, and he could see right through his tough demeanor. The shotgun fell back alongside his leg as he slowly walked forward.

"You have no idea what I'm thinking." Young said quietly.

Rush continued to back up and when he ran into the table behind him he stood there, and though he really did put up a great front, Young could tell he was trembling just the slightest bit. Young let out a snicker at that. Too defiant for his own good.

"I'm telling you, I had no idea that this ship was capable of going through a star!"

"But you knew something. It's why you took yourself out of the lottery."

Rush sputtered, trying to think of something to say. Young didn't even give him the chance. With a couple of more steps - because where on this ship could he think of going to now? - he had Rush pinned against the table behind him. Rush was leaning back, attempting to not let the Colonel get too much into his personal space.

It wasn't working.

Rush began to breathe just a little bit harder. Every time he took a deep breath, his chest brushed up against the Colonel's unzipped jacket. The edges of the zipper constantly ran across his chest in irregular intervals and it was beginning to drive Rush slightly mad. The feeling was incredible.

Young saw the effect he was having on Rush and smirked even more. He knew it. Men like him always liked to throw tantrums and fits because what they really wanted was to have someone over them, figuratively and literally. Rush needed this. And Young needed it too.

Letting his shotgun go, it fell to the floor with a sharp bang, but neither of them paid any attention to it. Young slammed his hands on the table behind Rush and leaned over him, making Rush practically bend over backwards, which had to be uncomfortable.

"Tell me what you know."

Rush glared at him, his hair falling into his eyes. "I know nothing!"  
Young lowered his head until it was centimeters away from Rush's face. This close up Young could see flecks of light gray in his eyes as they widened. "You're lying."

Rush was so into looking back at Young that he forgot what they were even arguing about. He began struggling more, secretly both mad and excited that even injured as he was, Young still had more strength than him. "I am not lying! How could I possibly know that the Ancients would safeguard their unmanned, computer piloted alien spaceship! I may be a genius Colonel, but not even I could know that!"

Young just stared at him. Rush gave him a weird look and stopped struggling as much, lying there and waiting for something to happen. He searched the Colonel's eyes, trying to get inside his mind but he couldn't with Col. Young. He was too inside himself.

After a few minutes Young straightened himself, allowing Rush to push up on his elbows and just stare at him as he leaned down to pick up his forgotten shotgun. Standing back up, he turned around and headed towards the exit; he needed to get away from this man before he did something he wouldn't regret.

Rush's eyes followed him all the way until he got near the door, the lights around it shining brightly with the restored power the ship had. As it opened, Rush stumbled into a standing position, calling out, "Colonel Young!"

Young paused next to the door, feeling the cool air from the hallway rushing into the previously sealed room.

"I'll talk about this later. You're still welcome to those two rations I promised you."

And with that Young left the room, leaving a confused and bewildered Dr. Rush in his wake.


End file.
